Which statement best describes the purpose of the Great Circle connect type?

• A. It traces a straight line on a Mercator projection
• B. It minimizes distance on a sphere
• C. It follows a constant longitude
• D. It never crosses the equator

Answer: (B)

Great-circle paths represent the shortest route between two points on a sphere. The Great Circle connect type uses that geodesic to link points, so it minimizes the surface distance on the globe. On a Mercator map, those routes usually appear curved rather than straight because the projection distorts distance along the sphere. Following a constant longitude would only be a specific case (a meridian) and isn’t the general shortest path between arbitrary points. Also, great-circle routes can cross the equator depending on where the endpoints are. So the statement that best describes its purpose is that it minimizes distance on a sphere.